BEACH BLOG#2: "The Album Cuts Of Life"

This summer’s family vacation actually gave me cause to think about work – Imagine that! You see, as each member “plugged in” to their music choices, somewhere between the ear buds were careers, ministries, tragedies and triumphs. Each downloaded selection epitomized the life cycle of the music industry. Being a player in this game allows me keen insight into the way it works out.

How do you pick the songs for your I-Pod (or insert generic MP3 player name here)? One of my teens will blindly load an entire cd once it enters the house in hopes that all the music will prove worthy of drive space. Another only chooses the songs that they have heard on the radio, at church or suggested by friends. I find myself somewhere in the middle – I will get a new cd, listen to it for about a week and then carefully select the songs that get loaded.

The insight that this comparison provided came as I spent some “Wally-time” listening to my own selections. In this relatively small grouping of songs came tunes that are truly impacting – yet remain obscure to those who never ventured beyond the surface songs.

Now I could spend hours (pages) discussing song selection and music rotations, but that is not the point. What we must realize is that for every great song heard on the radio, there are a dozen good songs on the artist’ album. For every good song on the album are many more that didn’t quite make the cut. Yet each tune represents the heart of the songwriter. Are certain heart thots more deserving to be heard than another?

Here’s to the album cuts of life - those things that impact us deeply that only a few people will ever really discover. Recently, we have some friends whose family has been turned upside down by the diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma in a relatively young father. It’s at the point where only a few people know. To most, everything appears fine on the surface as people concern themselves with the day to day stuff that doesn’t matter - when in reality, our friends are hurting and their world has been rocked.

May it never suffice that I am satisfied to see only what exists on the surface, but Lord help me to dig deeper to experience the album cuts of life!

BEACH TRIP: TAKE ONE {Buoys & Gulls}

The annual beach trip came a lot sooner this year…Not really, it just seemed that way. In fact, I still remember what we ate last year, the score at bocce and how many fish were caught. No sooner will I turn around than I will be facing the mighty Atlantic once again.

This years’ epic included our first family venture into kayaking the salt marsh. This was an exciting adventure that stretched the body and the mind. As our guide elaborated on the variety of wildlife surrounding us, it was interesting to note the difference in the typical shore birds. In fact, most of us tend to be most like the famed seagull. Understand, the seagull never catches its’ own meal. You will not see one dive into the ocean to snatch a fish. You will not find it pecking sand fleas off of the shore line. The seagull is a thief and always mooches off someone else - be it another bird of prey or an unsuspecting human packing bread crumbs.

You and I are a lot like that. Now, there’s nothing wrong with reading a good book or listening to a powerful singer or inspiring speaker. From Beth Moore to Chris Tomlin to David Jeremiah and all points in between, how many of us are guilty of spiritually mooching off somebody else’s Scriptural feast? Instead of searching, discovering and ingesting our own nourishment, we are content to gnaw on the already chewed portions from those who walk the road before us. Gleaning is great - but how much better is sowing and reaping. Something about slurping milk when we should be sinking our teeth into a succulent ribeye.

So, if I’m taking something home from the beach this year (besides sunburn and sand in yet to be discovered places), it’s the desire to not be a spiritual seagull. It may take a little more effort and time – but, it’s sure to be worth it in the end. In fact, the process itself should prove to be worthwhile. Now, I’m not completely giving up my diet of crumbs and milk, but I’m definitely searching some minnows and steak to satisfy the appetite and please the palate. After all, I plan on having my own plate at the wedding feast!